unusual
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- unusually adverb
- unusualness noun
Etymology
Origin of unusual
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Blanche’s decision to personally interview Maxwell was highly unusual, given how high ranking he was in the Justice Department.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
She said it was unusual to find a letter on her desk and that it had unfortunately been opened and handled by several people before reaching her.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
The unusual insect caught the attention of an international team of researchers, who were struck by how different it looked from any known species.
From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026
Apart from a moraine collapsing, an avalanche or an unusual amount of rainfall can destabilize a lake.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
“They’d have to be unusual wolves, to live on a tropical island. It’s all quite strange. Let’s see what happens next.”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
